New Eagles QB Michael Vick has the opportunity to earn significantly more than his 2009 salary, $1.6 million, should Philadelphia exercise its team option for 2010. In that case, Vick would earn over $5 million in salary and bonus money, with the chance to earn up to $3 million more in incentives, according to a league source.

And while  Eagles coach Andy Reid went to lengths to say that Vick is a quarterback, the structure of his contract speaks to the fact that he could and likely will be used in a variety of roles, including in Wildcat-type formations. Vick’s 2010 incentives are tied to playing time — in percentage of offensive snaps taken — and those incentives are not just limited to quarterback reps, according to a source. The incentives apply to any offensive position, and the incentives do not fluctuate depending on the position he plays.

Thus, the thresholds of where those incentives kick in are the same for snaps played at quarterback, versus running back or receiver. Given that Vick is someone who can be used in a multitude of ways, it makes sense that the incentives are not tied to a specific position (especially if starting QB Donovan McNabb remains healthy). Also, designating a position for someone in a “slash” role can be difficult, too, with the Wildcat quarterback often functioning more like a running back in the option offense.

Posted in: Jason La Canfora  | comments  |